Within a living cell, motor proteins like kinesin are responsible of the transport of intracellular components. The functioning of this active transport is well known, and it has been employed to build synthetic assemblies of microtubules, which are stirred at the level of the single components and evolve out of thermal equilibrium. Such system is a paradigmatic example of an active material,...
This talk will discuss recent results pertaining to 2D active nematics in flat space. We will focus on defect number fluctuations and how they relate to the system structure and overall correlations. Contrary to what is often found in active matter, we do not observe giant number fluctuations. Instead, we find that the system of defects exhibits hyperuniformity.
The controlled transport and assembly of colloidal cargo within confined micro-environments is a challenging endeavor with significant implications for both technological applications and fundamental science. To achieve directed motion, both self-propelled and externally driven colloidal particles and droplets must be guided by breaking fore-aft symmetry in a controlled manner. Liquid crystals...
